Photo: Eric Vargiolu / DPPI
Formula Renault 3.5 championship leader Kevin Magnussen got off to a good start in the season finale at Circuit de Catalunya as he dominantly topped the first practice session.
The test saw a number of lead changes, with Magnussen battling title rival Stoffel Vandoorne for the lead in the opening stages. At halfway through, it was Arthur Pic who reigned supreme, however, as times began dropping, the initiative came back to Magnussen.
With 4 minutes remaining, the Dane put almost a second on his closest session rivals and wound up finishing first by 0.668s. ISR man Sergey Sirotkin put in a late effort to take second, while Magnussen’s DAMS teammate Norman Nato ended the run in third.
Vandoorne had to settle for fourth, leading Will Stevens (who made it into the top five after early session woes), Marco Sorensen and Pic.
Andre Negrao took eighth, leading the Pons duo of Nikolay Martsenko and Zoel Amberg.
Session results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
| 1 | Kevin Magnussen | DAMS | 1:30.730 | 22 | |
| 2 | Sergey Sirotkin | ISR | 1:31.398 | +0.668 | 20 |
| 3 | Norman Nato | DAMS | 1:31.621 | +0.891 | 22 |
| 4 | Stoffel Vandoorne | Fortec Motorsports | 1:31.626 | +0.896 | 25 |
| 5 | Will Stevens | P1 by Strakka Racing | 1:31.661 | +0.931 | 14 |
| 6 | Marco Sorensen | Lotus | 1:31.684 | +0.954 | 23 |
| 7 | Arthur Pic | AV Formula | 1:31.691 | +0.961 | 21 |
| 8 | Andre Negrao | International Draco Racing | 1:31.708 | +0.978 | 23 |
| 9 | Nikolay Martsenko | Pons Racing | 1:31.928 | +1.198 | 20 |
| 10 | Zoel Amberg | Pons Racing | 1:31.933 | +1.203 | 23 |
| 11 | Nigel Melker | Tech 1 Racing | 1:31.951 | +1.221 | 24 |
| 12 | Antonio Felix da Costa | Arden Caterham | 1:31.968 | +1.238 | 21 |
| 13 | Mikhail Aleshin | Tech 1 Racing | 1:32.059 | +1.329 | 21 |
| 14 | Pietro Fantin | Arden Caterham | 1:32.153 | +1.423 | 24 |
| 15 | Marlon Stockinger | Lotus | 1:32.186 | +1.456 | 24 |
| 16 | Carlos Huertas | Carlin | 1:32.206 | +1.476 | 23 |
| 17 | Matias Laine | P1 by Strakka Racing | 1:32.250 | +1.520 | 22 |
| 18 | Carlos Sainz, Jr. | Zeta Corse | 1:32.303 | +1.573 | 23 |
| 19 | Oliver Webb | Fortec Motorsports | 1:32.322 | +1.592 | 24 |
| 20 | Nico Muller | International Draco Racing | 1:32.340 | +1.610 | 24 |
| 21 | Christopher Zanella | ISR | 1:32.405 | +1.675 | 21 |
| 22 | William Buller | Zeta Corse | 1:32.610 | +1.880 | 22 |
| 23 | Lucas Foresti | SMP Racing by Comtec | 1:32.635 | +1.905 | 24 |
| 24 | Yann Cunha | AV Formula | 1:33.406 | +2.676 | 25 |
| 25 | Daniil Move | SMP Racing by Comtec | 1:33.554 | +2.824 | 18 |
| DNP | Jazeman Jaafar | Carlin |
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